Automatic file cleaning and sharpening machine



Aug. 17,1926. v sasma F. S WALTERS ET AL AUTOMATIC FILE CLEANING AND SHARPENING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2, 1924 2 Shee eet 1 N i INVENTORS IWITNESUEEA fi'ancis S Heifers 6 4 7 I Bfivrwe l? Day.

Aug 17,1926 Q 1,596,036

- E. 5. WALTERS ET Al.

AUTOMATIC FILE CLEANING AND SHARPENING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2, 19 24 2 s e t s t 2 INVENTORS WITNESSES: Francis 8 Wa/Iers 9 M Bur-we)! F D y- 7 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, 192.6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS S. WALTERS, OF WILKINSBURG, AND B-UPJVJELL LE. DAY, OF SWISSVALE,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO GEORGE E. VOR-HAUER, OF BEAVER FALLS, PENN- SYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC FILE CLEANING AND SHARPENING MACHINE.

Our invention relates to file cleaning and sharpening machines and, more particularly, to an automatic machine which is capable of cleaning and sharpening files in relatively large quantities without the attention of a skilled operator.

It is among the objects of our invention to provide an automatic file cleaning and sharpening device which shall be of simple, durable and rugged mechanical construction, which shall embody a minimum number of mechanical movements and which shall carry out the steps of cleaning, sharpening and drying files automatically in an expedient and efiicient manner.

The cleaning and so-oalled sharpening of metal-cutting files, as heretofore practiced, consists of manipulating the file with the back of its cutting edges against a highpressure steam and sand blast, which functions to clean out the cuttings between succcssive cutting edges by ale-greasing the file with the hot steam and mechanically removing the cuttings by means of the sand blast, the latter also functioning to even the cutting edge which, in that respect, constitutes the sand blast a sharpening process. The sand blast is subsequently shut-off and the file is subjected to the steam blast for the purpose of cleaning and drying the same.

The success of this process was largely dependent upon the skill of the workman, both as to the manner of manipulating the file and as to the duration of time necessary to complete the operation, and, as a result, the quality of the work produced was greatly deficient.

Our present invention is directed to a machine for auton'iatically conducting the necessary functions of the file cleaning and sharpening operations, the mechanism being designed to provide absolute control of the manipulation of the file and the steam and sand blast by providing positive relative movements of the file members and the steam and sand blast nozzles.

Our device further adapts itself to quantity production as a multiple of files can be acted upon conten'iporaneously leaving the operator free to devote himself entirely to the removal and replacement of the files in the tool holder.

the

Referring to Fig. 1, the device therein wheel 2-8. p with a keyway25 and the gear wheel 24 with In the accompanying drawings, constituting a part hereof, and in which like reference characters designate like parts,

Figure 1 is a view, partially in section and par ially in elevation, of an automatic file cleaning and sharpening machine embodying the principles of our invention; V

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevational view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a front end elevational View thereof, showing the relative disposition of several co-operatin'g parts.

illustrated comprises a frame 1, having a "flanged base 2, provided with openings 3,

adapted to receive screw bolts or the like for anchoring the frame securely on a suitable foundation. A turret-head 4 is rotatably mounted by a pivot pin 5 in an opening 6 of the frame member '1, the turret being provided with "a plurality of slotted openings 7, which areangularly disposed in stepped relation to adapt them to'receive work-holder slide arms 8, which are movably mountec therein. The ends of the slides 8 are provided with an angular portion 9, on which a tool or work-holder 10 is mounted.

A plurality of nozzles 11 are secured on the end frame portion 12 of the frame 1 in a manner to provide pivotal movement thereof, the nozzles 11 being secured on a movable head 13 that is pivotally mounted on the frame 12 and connected by a crank 1a, which is connected at one end to the crank pin 15 of an eccentric drive wheel 16. The nozzles 11 are connected to a pipe-line 17 leading to a source of high-pressure steam (not shown) and flexible hose 18 is connected to the nozzlesll to communicate with a sand supply (not shown).

A drive shaft 20 and a screw shaft 21 are journaled for rotation in the frame 1 with their axes in parallel relation, the shaft 20 having a pulley 22 secured on the end thereof to provide a driving connection with a motor or other type of prime mover (not shown).

A gear wheel 23 is keyed on the shaft 20 and a gear wheel 24: is mounted on the screw shaft 21 in cooperative alinement with the The screw shaft 21 is provided a key 26 to provide a movable spline connection with the screw shaft 21.

A gear wheel 27 is mounted in screwlihread engagement with the shaft 21, and a clutch gear 28, having a relatively wide face, is mounted for rotation on the drive shaft 20. The gear 28 is provided with a clutch collar 29, adapted to receive a pair of trunnion members 30 of a shifting yoke 31, which is pivotally conn cted to the frame 1.

A clutch collar is secured, by a pin 33, or in any suitable manner, to the drive shaft 20, and a clutch member 34 is disposed on the shaft and fixed in the frame member by a set screw 35. A shifting lever 31 is pivotally connected at its end to a. lever arm 37, which is resiliently connected to a shifting arm 38 that is secured to one end of a shifting lever, 39. The lever 39 is extended through an opening 410 of the frame 1, and a friction pad 11, to take up slack,

and one end of the lever 39 is diverted at right angles for the purpose of engaging a plunger 4:3 that co-operates with a sprin clamp 11. and 16 are mounted on the shifting lever 39.

A guide rod 17 is rigidly secured at one end to the frame 1 by a plurality of set screws 4-8, and a guide arm d9, having a clamping screw 50 provided in its upper portion to engage the work-holder slider arms 8, is slidably mounted on the guide arm 17 and secured to the end of the screw shaft 21 by a screw nut 51. The extended portion 52 of the guide arm -19 is provided with an opening to receive the shifting lever 39.

A line shaft 55 is journaled in the frame 1 and end frame 12, and a plurality of sheave wheels 56 and 57 are respectively secured thereto. The hub portion of the gear wheel 2-1 is provided with a groove 58 to receive round belt 59 to connect the gear wheel 21 with the wheel 56, and a similar belt connection is provided for the wheel 57 and the crank wheel 16 (Fig. 3) to actuate the latter. A guard 61, having an opening (52, is mounted in proximity to the end frame 12 and connected therewith by a mounting bracket (33,

The operation of this device is briefly as follows: A plurality of liles Fare secured in the work-holders 10, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the slide arm 8 is secured to the guide arm 19 by the clamping screw 50. The drive shaft 20 is actuated to rotate, which actuates the gear wheel 2 1 at a reduced speed and, with the position of the clutch ear 28 as shown in Fig. 1, the 28 being in engagement with the driving clutch 32. the gear wheel 27 is rotated. By virtue of the screw-thread engagement of the gear wheel 27 with the shaft 21, the latter is moved axially, which causes a lat eral movement of the guide arm 1-9 on the A. pair of adjustable stops to rod 17, to effect a corresponding movement of the slide 8 in the turret-head l, causing the work-holder 10 and the files secur d therein to be moved along the top of the nozzles 11.

il 'h n the extended portion of the guide arm 19 strikes the stop of the shifting lever 39, the latter is actuated, which pivots the clutch lever 31 to disei'igage the clutch gear 28 from the clutch 32 and enthe same with the stationary clutch lj-l. in this position, the gear 28 is lineal against rotation, therebv holding the gear wheel :27 stationary on the screw shaft and, since the gear wheel 2% is rotating at all times, it will rotate the shaft 21 against the threaded engagement with the stationary gear 27, thereby causing the shaft to move axially in the opposite direction until the clutch gear 28 is again reversed by the engagement of the guide arm s19 with the stop -16 of the shifting lever 3 The ratios of the wheels are such as to obtain one-half the speed of travel of the tool-holder 10 when driving through the spline gear 21 of the screw-thread gear 27 for the purpose of obtaining a slow rate of travel of the tile surface over the mouth of the nozzle 11 during the cleaning and sharp ening operation; that is, while the steam and sand blast are turned on in full force. When the nozzles have reached the end of the file F, as shown in Fig. 1, the shifting lever 35) engages the plunger 13, which forces the spring clip 44 against the hose 18, thus shutting-otl'the sand blast. At this point, the direction of motion of the work-holder 10 is reversed, and the file traverses along the mouth of the nozzle at double the speed of the cleaning and cutting operation, and, since the sand blast shut oil, the steam emitted from the nozzle functions to further clean and dry the tiles.

During this cycle of operation, the nozzles 11 are rapidly oscillated across the face of the files by the crank connection with the crank pin 15, to insure thorough cleaning; of the tile slots, and this oscillatory motion of the nozzles further permits using smaller nozzles and less steam and sand, as they can be made to cover more area than stationary nozzles.

When a set of liles have been cleaned and sharpened in the manner described above, the clamping screw is disengaged with the workholder slide arm 8, and the latter is replaced by another work-holder carrying another set of files by rotating the turrethead 1, The machine is then set to repeat the operation and the operator may remove and renew the finished files at his leisure.

It is evident, from the above description of our invention, that an automatic file cleaning and sharpening machine, as described herein, functions to expediently and efficiently clean and sharpen files at a minimum cost in relatively large quantities and of uniform quality.

Although we have described a specific e1nbodiment of our invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that a macnine embodying the mechanical movements herein described is not restricted for use to the process of cleaning and sharpening files, but may be utilized for any purpose in which a co-ordination of such relative mechanical movements are applicable and desirable, and it is further obvious that various modifications may be made inthe details, proportion and design of the several co-operating parts without departing from the principles herein forth.

We claim as our invention:

1. A file sharpening machine comprising a base, a turret rotatably mounted thereon, a plurality of work holders slidably mounted in said turret, a guide arm adapted to engage said holders, a plurality of nozzles in co-operative alinement with said guide arm, a steam and a sand-blast conduit connected to said nozzles, means for actuating said guide arm to provide lateral movement of said holders, and means for oscillating said nozzles.

2. In a file sharpening machine the combination with a work holder, of a movable blast-nozzle, an axially movable guide arm for said holder, an actuating mechanism for said guide arm comprising a rotatable shaft and gear wheels, the latter being connected to said guide arm, and means associated with said mechanism for imparting an oscillatory movement to said nozzle.

3. In a file sharpening machine the combination with a work holder, of a movable blast-nozzle, an axially movable guide arm for said holder, an actuating mechanism for said guide arm comprising a rotatable shaft and gear wheels, the latter being connected to said guide arm, means for imparting a reeiprocatory movement to said work holder, and means associated with said mechanism for imparting an oscillatory movement to said nozzle.

4-. In a file sharpening machine the combination with a work holder, of a blastnozzle, an axially movable guide arm for said holder and means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said guide arm, said means comprising a drive shaft and a screw shaft journaled for rotation in a frame, a gear Wheel mounted on said screw shaft having a spline connection therewith, a gear wheel keyed on said drive shaft cooperatively engaged with the first-named wheel, another gear wheel mounted on said screw shaft in screw-thread engagement therewith, a clutch gear rotatably mounted on said drive shaft in cooperative engagement with said last-named screw shaft gear, a clutch secured to said frame and actuating means for said clutch gear to alternately engage said clutch gear and clutch.

5. In a tile sharpening machine the combination with a work holder, of a blast nozzle, an axially movable guide arm for said holder and means for imparting a reciproeatory movement to said guide arm, said means comprising a drive shaft and a screw shaft journaled for rotation in a frame, a gear Wheel mounted on said screw shaft having a spline connection therewith, a gear wheel keyed on said drive shaft cooperatively engaged with the first-named wheel, another gear wheel mounted on said screw shaft in screw-thread engagement therewith, a clutch secured to said frame, and automatic actuating means associated vit-h said screw shaft for shifting said clutch gear to alternately engage said clutches.

6. A file sharpening machine comprising a turret head rotatably mounted in a frame, a plurality of tool-holders slidably mounted in said head, a plurality of nozzles oscillatably mounted on said frame, a drive shaft and a screw shaft journaled for rotation in said frame, a clamp secured to said screw shaft to engage said tool holders, a gear wheel mounted on said screw shaft having a spline connection therewith, a gear wheel keyed on said drive shaft co-operatively engaged with the first-named wheel, another gear wheel mounted on said screw shaft in screw-thread engagement therewith, a clutch gear rotatably mounted on said drive shaft in co-operative engagement with said lastnamed gear, a clutch secured to said drive shaft, a clutch secured to said frame, a shifting device actuated by said clamp to actuate the said clutch gear and a crank connecting said nozzles to oscillate the same.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 11th day of December, 1923.

FRANCIS S. WALTERS. BURlVELL F. DAY. 

